Definition
A downward angle of an aircraft's wings relative to the horizontal when viewed from the front. Also called anhedral. The wingtips sit lower than the wing roots.
Plain English
Wings that angle downward from where they join the fuselage out to the tips, forming an upside-down shallow V shape.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft design, aerodynamics, and stability discussions when describing wing shape from the front of the airplane.
Derivation
From the architectural term for a downward-sloping roof line, borrowed because the wing shape resembles the inverted-V profile of certain cathedral roofs. The opposite shape, dihedral, comes from Greek roots meaning 'two seats' or 'two surfaces meeting at an angle.'
Why Pilots Care
Reduces lateral stability compared with positive dihedral and can influence roll response and handling qualities.
Analogy
From the front, cathedral wings look a little like a shallow roof: lower near the airplane body and higher toward each side.
Intuition Check
Cathedral does not mean a church here. It describes the upward angle of the wings when viewed from the front.
Example Sentence 1
The high-wing transport's cathedral helps balance the strong rolling stability that a high wing naturally provides.
Example Sentence 2
Designers chose cathedral on this model to achieve the desired roll rate during low-speed handling tests.